J'khand BJP to hold protests on Sep 11 seeking CBI probe into Surya Hansda 'encounter death'

Ranchi, Sep 8 (PTI) Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi said the party would stage demonstrations across 216 blocks of the state on September 11, demanding a CBI probe into the death of Surya Hansda in an alleged encounter.

Marandi, also the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, said the BJP would also raise the demand for returning the land "forcibly" acquired from tribal farmers in Ranchi's Nagri for a hospital project.

The project is about the extension of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here.

"We will also submit a memorandum to the governor after the event on September 11," Marandi said in a press conference here on Sunday.

"The BJP has been raising its voice, from the assembly to the streets, on the murder of social-political activist Surya Hansda by the police and forcible acquisition of land from tribal farmers of Nagri for the RIMS-2 project," he said.

Hansda, who contested multiple assembly polls and was also wanted in several criminal cases, was arrested from Nawadih village in Deoghar on August 10, police said.

He died in an alleged encounter that took place when he was being taken to Rahadbadia hills to recover hidden weapons, they said.

Hansda had allegedly snatched a weapon from police personnel and fired at them while attempting to flee the spot. The policemen retaliated, which resulted in his death, according to Godda Police.

Meanwhile, the ruling JMM on Sunday alleged that the BJP was trying to mislead people on the issue of Surya Hansda and Nagri land acquisition.

"The way the BJP is trying to gain political advantage in the Surya Hansda case is an insult to the tribal community. Senior JMM leader and MLA Hemlal Murmu has already made public the details of Surya's criminal life. The tribal community does not accept criminals," JMM general secretary and spokesperson Vinod Pandey said in a press statement. PTI SAN BDC ACD